GambolMuse

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

To say Viral's outlook on humanity was jaded would be an understatement. Yes, there were some nasty people in the world. One of the worst had been responsible for the deaths of Aito and June, and had a hand in creating the Beastman. Ikura would give Viral this much; the human's he'd encountered thus far in life were the worst the world had to offer. Adding onto that the people he had likely been battling during their time away and it was no wonder he was so cynical of other people. He needed to be shown the good in the world to realize it for what it truly was. "We did keep you in this facility to keep you safe, I'll admit. After Doctor Bahzanov betrayed us there was even more reason to keep you here out of worry what might happen if you got out. I'm sorry for ordering them to keep you contained, I thought it was the best course of action, I realize now it was perhaps selfish of me." Bowing his head apologetically Ikura sighed, giving Viral a sad smile. "But there are a lot of good people, really good people in this world. There's quite a few here today, and I'm more than ready to show that to you."

"The only reason you're uncomfortable is because you've always had someone over you, it's natural to you. I know *precisely* how you're designed. Don't forget, I had a rather large hand in creating you," Ikura said, smiling kindly. "The transition will be difficult, but you can be your own person as anyone else here can. And you'll be happier for it. Be honest with me, you can't be happy feeling like you need someone else to direct your life, can you?" It must make Viral feel powerless, having to rely on someone. It was why now that he was "free" he was so confused, he wasn't used to not being given orders. That was again a fault on their behalf, they had always provided direction assuming he wasn't aware enough of the world to operate alone. A mistake, clearly, one he wished he could retract. There was a pattern Ikura was beginning to notice, and a rather disheartening one at that. It wasn't Viral's fault he was like this, it was everyone else around him. Inadvertently everyone, including himself, had contributed to the state he was in now. Well, now it was time that they fix it.

Takeshi felt pretty bummed now that Shu was upset, and awfully crummy to boot. Damn it, a little joke had turned out to totally backfire and leave Shu upset and him guilty, that wasn't what he had wanted. Sighing softly he nodded his head, agreeing with his brother's request. He'd not do that again, it was mean and probably didn't earn him any favor with his sibling. For a brief moment, for the first time in a while he felt like he had distanced himself, worrying inwardly as he often did about that. "Pain isn't funny... That came out wrong... Your reaction was funny. I don't think it's funny I hurt you," Takeshi corrected himself, setting his fork down as a server took his plate. When Shu mentioned dying the older boy looked at his brother quickly, an earnestly bummed out look on his face. "You're not going to die Shu... I'll make sure of that," he said quickly, shaking his head and patting his brother's back. "I'll keep you safe so you have a long, happy life, I swear it."

"Viral, this party is for you, remember? To be frank I couldn't care if they had shown up or not. I'm glad they did, it's more people to celebrate your birthday. But as I said, this is your birthday, and your party. We'd be having this whether they were in attendance or not." Hm... So even after all they had said he still didn't think of this as his. Well that was a real damper on things. Vegeta sighed sadly, rubbing his forehead as he glanced at the guests. "If you want to wait ten minutes then we'll wait ten minutes, it's your decision when we eat your cake, after all." he added, looking at his friend with a smile. "And the presents too, don't forget those. We can open those whenever you're ready." He was particularly excited about gifts, not that anyone would know why. Well, T'charrl would because he'd discussed it with him, but that was it.

The first of Viral's guests had finally come over to speak with him, courtesy of Ikura. He was a shorter man, a bit portly with a bushy mustache and a loose cropping of hair on his head. He was dressed in a casual suit and bore a bright, white smile on his rosy cheeks as he came over. "Ah, the man of the hour! It's a pleasure to finally meet you sir!" he chimed, bowing his head politely. "I do hope you're enjoying the festivities! We've done everything we could to host the best celebration we could."

"This is Albert Eberhardt. He's in charge of Child's Play, a rather well known charity in this city. When I mentioned your party he was more than keen to come and attend." Ikura said, gesturing to the man in question.

"Oh ho, well I heard that Aito and Ikura's success story was present and I had to come meet you for myself. And I must say, I am very impressed! It's quite a thrill to meet you sir!" Albert chimed, smiling as he clasped his hands together. "And happy birthday as well, might I add. I also understand this is your first party. Such a shame considering your age, it seems you're owed quite a few celebrations. Well, fear not! Should you ever need anything my young friend feel free to ask, I'm more than happy to help a child of Aito's whenever the need arises!"

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

"That's why we're going to work on it, so we can find your comfort zone. Once we do I won't try pushing you beyond that. We have to find out just how much you can handle though, it's imperative for your treatment." Ikura hadn't a clue to what extent Viral could speak with people, and putting him under too much stress would only serve to make things worse. For him to be happy they had to hit that veritable sweet spot and stay there. "Humanity as a whole isn't bad, Viral, I assure you. It's the foul few that stand out unfortunately, but your every day person is a good individual. That being said..." the doctor paused, sighing before smiling somberly. "Everyone has their price I'm afraid. There's incentive, whether its money, power, fame, enough of one thing that can make people do something horrible. That's an extreme circumstance though, to label everyone a monster because they are susceptible to greed or bribery isn't fair on their part. Some people accept wrong things for good reasons, it's often not as black and white as we'd like to think it is."

Finding a purpose in life was no small feat, a mountain stood before Viral in that regard. With some help he may be able to find it, so long as he accepted that it could take some time. In a way Ikura thought of him as a young man going into a university. They had their future ahead of them, but with so much at their fingertips it was overwhelming, they didn't know where to turn. Granted the Beastman's situation was a bit more strenuous than that, but in essence they were similar. "You lived, and you will continue to live. The only difference is in due time you'll be happier for it," the doctor said, smiling kindly. "If you don't want to have people ask you questions then you can ask them. Ask about work, what they do for a living, hobbies. It's small talk, but it can get a conversation going. If you think something is too personal to ask about then refrain, only question what you believe to be appropriate. Sometimes it's a hit and miss game, speaking with others, so unfortunately you may have a few conversations not to your liking. But it's all trial and error Viral." Pushing his now empty plate aside Ikura folded his hands in his lap, watching as servers began to gather up all of the empty dishes. "My job to find you something...? Well... I will certainly help you, but I won't tell you what to do." he replied, looking at Viral. "You're your own man, you always have been. No one, including myself or Aito, can tell you what to do. It's your life, you live it as you wish."

Takeshi was pretty annoyed, both with Shu and Yumi. He felt bad too, he hadn't meant to upset Shu even if the little guy had been bothering him. Making a face to face apology the Saiyan smiled slightly, lifting his shoulders in a shrug. "I don't know, people are weird about what they eat sometimes," he replied, idly pushing around a small piece of steak on his plate. "Some people like spicy stuff, and stuff can be even spicier than that. It's really not bad, honest, if you eat a tiny amount. I... Kind of gave you a lot." For the itsy bitsy piece of steak Shu had he'd probably had several times the amount of wasabi needed, hence his mouth burning. Putting his hands on top of the table and rubbing his thumbs together nervously Takeshi glanced over at his brother, smiling uncertainly. "I'm sorry for tricking you Shu, but... It was kind of funny, you've got to admit. You were really surprised when you tried it."

Vegeta opted to give the servers a hand with their work, gathering up dishes as he could and handing them over. That meal had been rather good, and it certainly looked like everyone had their fill. Still a good amount of food left, he noted, which was fine. Once all the guests left he'd let his friends eat their fill and send them home with some leftovers too most likely. One of the waiters came over and asked about the cake, to which he replied to hold off on for a while. Once Viral said he was ready for it then they'd bring it out, not a moment sooner. Once the table was cleared people began to get up, talking between themselves happily as they moved away to let the workers break down the makeshift dining room. Vegeta joined Viral and Ikura off to the side, smiling at the Beastman. "How was that? Did you enjoy the food?"

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

"If you continue to tell yourself you're no good with people then that behavior is going to perpetuate itself," Ikura said patiently. "It's not easy opening up, but in doing so you'll be leagues happier. Hence why I suggest we take this slowly, so you have a chance to adapt gradually and find your comfort zone." Obviously having him talk to a group was out of the question, it would all be one on one. For the most part the doctor figured people would be tactful in their discussions, there ought not be anything to worry about. The biggest hurdle wasn't the people Viral might talk to, but Viral himself. Perhaps once he actually got talking he'd be able to maintain it easier, time would tell. Watching as at last Viral began to eat the old man smiled kindly, taking another few bites of his as well. He wasn't that hungry, he'd eaten prior to the party since he didn't assume he'd stay long. After seeing how the Beastman was handling things however he should probably stay for at least an extra hour, if not more. "You will return alive Viral, you've made it this far and you'll keep going. Besides, you've got people all around you to ensure your safety. When you do return, alive and well, we'll continue meetings if you need them. And I'm sure everyone here will be happy that the birthday man is going to speak with them, I'm sure there must be plenty of questions and other things they want to say to you."

Just what in the world had Takeshi been thinking, pulling that little stint on his sibling like that? Shu clearly hadn't known any the wiser, and in his trust of his older brother had gone ahead and eaten it blissfully unaware. "You aren't going to die Shu, it was just spicy food." Yumi explained, reaching past Takeshi and patting the young boy's back. "It hurt because it's very spicy, wasabi shouldn't be eaten like that. Just have some bread and milk, the burning will go away soon." Poor little guy, he didn't seem at all happy now, and he'd been enjoying himself so much before. Sighing softly she looked at Takeshi, folding her arms across her chest angrily. "Are you going to apologize to your brother or just sit there, you dolt. That wasn't very nice you know." He was kind of in the middle of downing an entire pitcher of water, but he certainly seemed to acknowledge her. Sighing again she shook her head, looking across and exchanging an exasperated look with Vegeta. Well, it wouldn't be a part with their group if someone didn't go and do something silly.

Takeshi felt bad about duping Shu like that, but he was still annoyed. He had to have something he was good at after all, and if his little brother stole Ki from him then he'd be pretty out of luck. He was already faster, did he really have to take more too? Feh... And now Shu was getting babied by Yumi as usually while he was being berated, typical. Setting down the now empty pitcher the Saiyan frowned, placing his hands in his lap with a sigh. "Sorry Shu..." he mumbled, probably barely audible. Glancing back at Yumi again he was prompted to repeat himself, looking at his brother this time. "Sorry for tricking you... Are you okay...?"

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

"So... You're angry that you're struggling with it, is that it? Fair point, it's frustrating when we don't get something. But in order to improve you've got to work at it, and it may take a while. So don't be disheartened if you have trouble initially." They would work around that, it would probably be best to take it slowly too. Hm... To remedy this particular issue Ikura figured it may be a good idea to place the Beastman in some innocent, easy social situations. Pair him one on one with a guest perhaps, see how he managed to talk with them. Once they found out how he did they could focus where to improve, and go from there. "Unless you come to know everyone on the planet there will always be strangers. That's part of the fun though, meeting new people. And as you grow to know them they're no longer strangers, they become friends as well. I know I don't have to explain that to you, but bear with me. I think after everyone's eaten we let people have a short reprieve and you can chat with a few people. If you find it uncomfortable then we can address what it is that bothers you directly. That seems the best way to go about it to me."

Ikura didn't seem the least bit surprised Viral didn't agree with his opinion. To meet someone who was as acclaimed for his strength as Viral was an honor to a great many people, warriors and just your common curiosities alike. Plus, a fair many of the people present had been informed as to what his situation was, and while they may not say it directly they were all more than keen to help him. "You staying longer could work, but is that what you'd want? From what I've learned you want to be with your friends, out there, fighting. While more time would certainly speed up your recovery I actually think its better you go out and join them. It will make you happier, rather than being cooped up here. And I'll always be around and ready to help when you do finally return." So long as it could be helped. It was impossible to know how long they would be gone for, and where his own work might take him. "I'll help you whether these people aid you or not. Though I won't lie, if they can help improve your outlook I would gladly welcome it. To that end I think speaking with a few folks might improve your mood."

Shu was being a real stinker right now, and he knew he was getting to his brother. Much as he tried to brush off the teasing Takeshi was becoming visibly annoyed, his tight smirk hardly fooling anyone. He wasn't angry with his brother, not by any stretch, but annoyed certainly. "You're faster than I am... On ground," he said firmly, "That's it. I'm better at Ki and everything else." What a stupid thing to be arguing over, and bad timing too. Sighing softly he tried to go back to eating, hoping to dismiss the thought entirely and focus on food. Unfortunately his mind was now quite abuzz with wonder, childishly worrying if he'd become lesser than Shu once his brother caught up in training. He liked being better at some things, it made him feel important. If Shu surpassed him then he was going to be pretty darn useless. Not to mention he wouldn't exactly be protecting someone stronger, it didn't work like that. There was a way he could get his sibling to hush up, if only for a bit. had the little guy ever had wasabi?

"It's not poison, honest. I wouldn't try to poison you," Takeshi answered, completely sincere in that regard. Shu amazingly went right for it after that, taking a small sample before swallowing the entire piece all at once. The older boy's eyes widened as he watched for what would happen, the little guy had eaten quite a lot in one bite after all. Not a second after Shu began to feel the effects, coughing and hurriedly looking for anything to soothe the burning on his tongue. Laughing triumphantly Takeshi stuck his tongue out, stabbing up another piece of steak for himself. "Hah, spicy isn't it?" he teased, sticking the piece in his mouth. Chewing on it and swallowing he paused, frowning as there was a peculiar taste with that steak. Soon enough his mouth felt like it had been doused in kerosine and lit ablaze, and with a gasp he opened his mouth, fanning at it and exhaling panicked. "Wha... Wha...?" Looking around he spotted a server coming around with drinks, reaching out and snatching up the pitcher of water. Immediately beginning to guzzle it down he could swear he heard Yumi laughing at him, shooting her a glare and seeing the wasabi bottle in her hand.

"If you're doing it to him then I'm doing it to you," Yumi teased, smirking as Takeshi continued to try and soothe himself. He wasn't all grins and triumph now, at the moment he was just attempting to keep a hole from burning through his mouth. Looking past him at Shu she smiled sympathetically, wondering how to help. Gesturing to the waiter and then to Shu the little boy was handed a tall glass of milk. To help further Yumi grabbed a few pieces of bread, applying a bit of butter to each and setting a plate with them all down before the little Saiyan. "Drink your milk and eat that, it'll help."

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

"Viral... It's nothing against you that you're finding this difficult. It's your first party, it's normal to be confused or uneasy." Ikura didn't want the Beastman getting the wrong idea, or feel guilty that he might now be showing proper appreciation. It was understood the man didn't quite know how to show gratitude as most people might, at least among his inner circle. Hopefully the other attendees picked up on that and didn't label him as ungrateful. "How about try taking things at face value? Everyone around you is happy, they're all doing this to enjoy themselves. Rather than question every piece just dive right in and worry about the details later. If you don't think on it so much perhaps you can enjoy yourself more." Easier said than done of course, you couldn't simply switch off negative thoughts, it didn't work like that. Smiling thoughtfully Ikura moved a little food around his plate, looking at Viral out of the corner of his eye, a mischievous twinkle in his stare. "If I asked each individual guest to speak to you... Would that dispel any doubts that they're here simply because it's a nicety? And make you more at ease?"

Ah, he was taking food now, that was a good change of pace. Not exactly what Ikura had wanted but it was a start to recovery. Having some food in him would improve his mood a little, and maybe once he was eating he'd become more open to conversation. Using the pause to take a few bites of his own meal the doctor wondered just how he'd help Viral after he left. Leaving Earth wasn't in the books for him, there were people on this planet who needed his help, he couldn't leave them for an arguably selfish purpose as this, much as he might like. "Talk to them at your own pace Viral, there's no rush. My suggestion was only a jest," Ikura said, wiping at his mouth, "But I certainly agree, you should. I feel you'll find that quite a few of these visitors are just as worried about you as the rest of us, even if they don't truly understand your situation. As we said, those who are here, from the guests to the servants, everyone has agreed to come here to see you happy. So I'm sure being able to talk to you, and having the chance to be that one who cheers you up, why... It would be an honor for most." Shaking his head dismissively the old man smiled, "I always have room to visit you. I may be busy, but there are others every bit as capable as myself. I do like to be around in person for things, but I have priorities. And my priority so long as you're here, is you."

Takeshi's eyebrow gave a little twitch of annoyance, getting teased like that by Shu. He was enjoying this, little smarty-pants. "You are good at something, but it's not flying fast," the older boy pressed, stabbing a fork of food and stuffing it in his mouth. Hmph, he'd teach Shu how to fly just to prove to him he wasn't quicker, then he'd drop it. Stuffing away another bite and chasing it down with a drink the Saiyan sighed, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. "Ah... Yeah, eating. Enjoy the food, talk to someone." he added, "We'll have cake when Viral says it's time for cake. I don't even know what kind of cake it is, probably not fruit though." Chuckling Takeshi reached across the table, stabbing up another piece of steak and dropping it onto his plate, pouring on a fair bit of a wasabi mix for flavor. It had been a long, long while since he'd had hot food. He wondered how it would taste. Hm... Or, he wondered how Shu would like it. Suppressing a mischievous grin Takeshi cut off a small slice of the beef, offering it over to Shu innocently. "Want to try a little? I didn't see you have any earlier."

Return of a Princess (Nydie & Vena)

Tora had missed whatever had Jocelyn momentarily surprised. too lost in his own thoughts. Why was the princess allowing him to come to her home? Joking aside he had been called cute, but that didn't warrant being invited over, she clearly wasn't doing so out of desire for him. The notion she had of him having some drama to deal with technically wasn't wrong, but her thought as to what that drama was exactly was. He couldn't well explain to her what had him so worked up, not without being sent to a ward for being clinically nuts. What's more, now that he'd been around a while there was something bothering him about that Miss Dominique. He really couldn't place it, but something didn't sit well with Tora about that woman. It was like she knew more than she let on and was waiting, but waiting for what? Part of him almost felt he should confront her later and demand answers, just to make sure Jocelyn wasn't in any immediate danger. Hm... Though if he was wrong and she was totally innocent then he'd be in an awful lot of trouble.

Just what was the deal with Jocelyn's aunt anyways? She made the woman sound like a total pain in the ass, Tora was sure she couldn't be that bad. He would find out soon enough, they were just approaching the princess' house now. They had barely pulled into the driveway when a woman approached them, probably the infamous aunt in question. Watching with a hint of curiosity as she embraced Jocelyn he still didn't quite know to make of her. She seemed nice, if a touch too eccentric. She wasn't too bad until she suddenly tried to come at him with a hug, making Tora recoil in surprise. Blinking as Jocelyn stopped her aunt he breathed a sigh of relief, not very keen on having that woman anywhere near him. Seeing the princess duck inside he hoped to do the same, unfortunately being stopped along the way. Chuckling uncertainly while being questioned Tora looked back at the woman, smiling meekly as he rubbed at the back of his neck. "I uh... Well you see..." Jesus, was this woman for real? Thankfully Aidan saw fit to intervene, cutting the overexcited woman off and giving him a window to escape. Nodding gratefully Tora rushed up the stairs, not so much as glancing back lest he warrant more questions.

"I swear... I felt like that woman was going to hug the crap out of my soul..." Tora complained, shutting Jocelyn's door behind him. "Is that seriously how she's always like? The woman seems nuts!" Hell, she didn't really even know who he was! Sure there was no reason to think he might do something badly, but who was that friendly to a total stranger? Christ, if the lady knew just who she was talking to she wouldn't have been half as keen to allow him inside, let alone anywhere near her niece. At least Aidan had been kind enough to distract her, he'd have to remember to thank the guy later. Dropping his bag onto the floor by the door Tora stuffed his hands into his pockets, leaning against the wall and sighing exasperatedly. "Don't get me wrong, she seems like. But I feel like I'm getting the world's kindest interrogation from her, and it's just weird... Is she going to do that at dinner too?" He had thought about pulling the 'We're dating' card tonight just to tick off Jocelyn, but with all the nonsense he was likely going to have to deal with already he didn't want to add onto that. "So... Why did you bring me here? Are you my keeper or something now?"

Return of a Princess (Nydie & Vena)

It was a completely lame excuse, but Tora had to find a way to keep in touch with Jocelyn. He had a cell phone on him but never used it, this might be an excuse for actually having the damn thing now. Clearly a sorry way of going about it, the princess was quick to call him out on the request and shoot him down. Well that went about as well as he'd expected it to, so much for that idea. Beginning to walk off the young man sighed dismally, puzzled just how he would keep abs on her without outright stalking her constantly. Hearing himself be called he looked back at Jocelyn, smiling when she waved him over. Now there was a bit of a surprise, he didn't think he'd be willingly told to come along. Huh, maybe he was actually warming up on her, who knew? Chuckling he went along with Jocelyn to the curb, standing beside her as they waited for Aidan once again. Seriously, she should just walk home, it wasn't all that far away. Though he supposed this way was a little easier in regards to making sure she was safe.

"Something... Going on...?" Tora repeated, sounding dumbfounded. Huh, was it really coming across as him having some troubles at home? He was pretty sure he'd mentioned living alone, or maybe he'd imagined that, he didn't quite know anymore. Having Jocelyn suddenly invite him over and even go as far as extend empathy was quite unusual in his limited experience. Smiling bashfully he rubbed at his neck, looking away as he decided to go along with her little assumption. "Yeah... Lots of drama lately, thanks." Might as well string her along, maybe this gave him more excuse to be around her. Chuckling he put up his hands defensively, looking down at Jocelyn with an innocent smile. "I won't give the wrong idea, honest! Besides being a boyfriend is too much work, I couldn't be bothered. I find it more fun just to annoy you as is." Plus if he dated the princess then that would be the cause of all sorts of trouble back home. Jocelyn might be cute, but she wasn't worth getting his little man knocked off. Nah, someone else could have that can of worms, he'd just admire her from afar, hehe, and maybe have a dream or two.

Jocelyn and Tora were graced then by another person's presence, one of the teachers in the school. Miss Dominique, according to the princess, a face that he recognized well already. The woman had an unusual habit of being around Jocelyn, enough so to the point to arouse suspicion. Saying anything on the matter would only make him seem crazy, and he couldn't well allude to figuring something was amiss with the woman. Whatever her case was she had Jocelyn totally fooled, she didn't seem to find anything amiss. Following Jocelyn to the car time seemed to slow for a fraction of a second as he passed Miss Dominique, scrutinizing the woman with a passing glance before he went to the car. He had to keep an eye on her, even if she wasn't involved there was something peculiar about her. Getting into the back seat of Aidan's car he shut the door, peering out the window casually back at the woman. He was a little surprised to find their gaze meeting, and he did his absolute best to figure something out about her to no avail. No magic as far as he could tell, and she seemed pleasant enough. Damn it, this job was proving to be annoying. Maybe he should just drop out of classes, keep an eye on this woman when he wasn't watching Jocelyn. Hm... He'd have to think about that a bit.

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

"You need to stop being so hard on yourself, Viral. No one here is going to be mad or disappointed at you, honest. They just want you to try and enjoy yourself, that's all." It was a shame he couldn't though, they were trying pretty hard to prove they were all happy for him. Popping a scallop into her mouth Yumi folded her hands in her lap, smiling across at the Beastman cheerfully. "Just think of all the presents you're going to get. I bet it's a lot of things you could use or want, isn't that nice? And there's all this food too, you can eat whatever you want, however much you want. That's got to feel nice, right?" All this being peppy and positive was proving to be a real headache, it was hard to be so utterly positive. Maybe some of their positivity would rub off on their friend, she'd take any chance to make him happy at this point. "Hm... We'll find a way to give you happiness. Unfortunately that's not something we can really gift wrap though..."

Perhaps he ought not to have spoken aloud of Viral's problems. Ikura knew perfectly well what was wrong with the Beastman, and he was drafting a solution to it all. Hearing one's own issues wasn't ever a pleasant thing, and admittedly he'd dropped the ball in speaking aloud of Viral's. After apologizing and the group attempt to cheer him up the old man sighed softly. He really wasn't receptive to positivity at all, he was much too focused on the bad to be. "What about it doesn't make sense, Viral...? Perhaps I can shed some light on it." Giving a smile of support the doctor took a sip from his glass, looking at everyone around them as he spoke. "People have come together for one purpose, to help you feel happy. Don't feel obligated by that, you don't have to be happy because of that. But if you need it to make sense then think of it this way, every single person in this room wants to see you enjoy yourself. And they've come here to help that. They're not vested in you, they owe nothing, they're doing this because they want to help. You've so many people in your corner trying to support you, and they'd all gladly speak to you if it meant helping."

People were sure trying hard to cheer Viral up, it was a shame it wasn't doing any good. Really what more could they do than this already? The guy had a huge party thrown for him and plenty of people acting nice towards him, that ought to make anyone happy. Beside himself Takeshi joined in to another toast for the Beastman, quieting down immediately after as the doctor and Yumi continued talking to their friend. Hm... When should he try asking about sword training he wondered. "I doubt Viral will bite me again... Now hitting me on the other hand..." That was probably fair game. The guy had been all loopy before when he'd gone and bit Takeshi, that had to have something to do with it. Looking at Shu again the older boy sighed, smiling slightly as he prodded his sibling's forehead. "You couldn't fly faster than me. You might be faster on land but my Ki control is better, you won't be able to fly faster," he responded, feeling a bit defensive, silly as it may be. "Besides, you only went face first before me because I wasn't trying to do that. If, for whatever ridiculous reason I was I would have won." Realizing he was getting a bit too into this Takeshi smiled apologetically, giving Shu's hair a ruffle. "Let's not bother with that stuff now, yeah? How about we just enjoy the party?"

Return of a Princess (Nydie & Vena)

"Me? A pest? Jocelyn... Honestly, all these hurtful words today. I'm beginning to get the impression you don't like me." Actually, that impression had been made quite a long time ago, more or less the first instant they had spoken. if he was truly as annoying as she said though then she'd take more action against him aside from just verbally biting him now and again. It might be a bit of a stretch, but Tora felt like Jocelyn was actually enjoying his presence. Heh... Sadist, having fun with someone like him. Pouting when she gave another harsh remark he shook his head, sighing lamentably as he looked away. "Oh Jocelyn... You make me so sad, you know that...? And I've done nothing to deserve all of this hate." If this was how detention worked then it was going to be fun, he could definitely get used to this. Mr. Gervais was quick to enter and completely ruin that hope however, detention wasn't going to be even remotely as entertaining as he'd imagined. What's more they had to stay utterly quiet for an entire hour, not a single peep or they'd receive further punishment. To sit beside Jocelyn for an entire hour and not say a word, well damn... That was going to be a boring session.

Sitting in silence beside the princess was somehow uncomfortable, and Tora couldn't place why that was. Every time they had been around one another, sans her little trance, they had been speaking. It had only been a day in the making, but he'd become accustomed to their incessant back and forth, it was fun. Not having it now was pretty disappointing, he didn't know what to do with himself now. To his surprise and moderate delight he heard Jocelyn's voice after a few moments, looking over at her with a smile. A bit perplexed seeing her not speaking whatsoever it quickly dawned on him what the case was, she was using telepathy. With a knowing smirk he glanced away, acting none the wiser as he began to listen in on her thoughts. Some of the very first words that crossed her mind nearly made him guffaw loudly, he had been called cute! Sure, cute might be a ways away from 'sexy' or 'gorgeous', but it meant there was some attraction. Hah! Even after all his nonsense and constant teasing she still thought he was cute, that was pretty funny. If he behaved himself, even threw in some more suave moves he mused whether or not he could really seduce Jocelyn, it would be fun to test sometime.

Not being able to talk meant her thoughts were going wild, and Jocelyn had an awful lot to say. Opening up the way she had Tora had become pretty excited to hear more, curious to hear more about himself. Topics changed promptly after that however, and to something that was much more deserving of his attention. Something as simple as pulling hair wouldn't warrant much attention if it didn't seem so suspicious to him. Having someone yank on your hair was awfully hard to imagine, and to do it and slip away unseen so swiftly was awfully difficult. Aidan couldn't possibly have done it, there was no way he could move quickly enough, he was a regular old human. When had something gotten past him though? Had it been when he was away, or had he truly overlooked something? That was troubling... So someone, or something had made contact with Jocelyn. That meant the people he was working against knew where she was, and they were bold. Great, now he really had to keep an eye on her, lest she fall into their hands. Surveillance just during the evenings wouldn't be enough, it was going to be a full time job.

The remainder of Jocelyn's thoughts were rather bland and uninteresting after that. Just as well, it meant Tora could focus more on the problem at hand. She was definitely in danger, someone other than him had approached her in her sleep and gotten close enough to touch her. Thankfully they hadn't harmed her, and he couldn't pick out any indication that magic had been used. So was it just a scare tactic then? Considering all of the possibilities Tora had to wonder if he'd been made, if whoever this person was knew of his existence. He'd taken every precaution he could have to keep himself hidden, if he'd been spotted then he was dealing with someone pretty good. Wonderful, why couldn't he have an idiot who exposed themselves so he could be done with it quickly? Glancing up at the clock he groaned inwardly, quite annoyed they still had fifteen minutes. He had to get to work, he needed to look for any clues of what he was dealing with, not sit here wasting his time. Eying Mr. Gervais disdainfully at the front of the class he debated on knocking the man out, he could easily get up there and do it before anyone knew what happened. How would he explain something like that to Jocelyn though? Meh... Like it or not he was going to have to sit out the remainder of detention, he couldn't risk putting himself out there, not just yet.

"Jocelyn... Hey, wait up!" After detention both he and Jocelyn had been quick to leave, and she was more than ready to be done with him. Tora couldn't let her wander off without somehow passing on a word of warning to her, he had to make certain she took precautions. Since walking her home was pretty well out of the question he had to think of something else, another way to keep her safe without outright saying it. "Listen... I know you hate my and all, but..." he began, trying to come off as reluctant. Looking away he pursed his lips slightly, sighing as he folded his arms over his chest. "I'm behind in my classes, and... Could use some help. You're the only one I know in the school really, so... Think I could get a hand...?" It was a bold faced lie, the curriculum here was an utter joke. It it meant getting a chance to keep in touch with Jocelyn however then Tora would happily play the dummy. Looking back at the princess he smiled meekly, reaching into his pocket and taking out his cell phone. "Can I have your number...? I promise I won't text you and bother you, I'll save that for when we're in class. I'll only text for emergencies, okay?"

Return of a Princess (Nydie & Vena)

"Oh don't worry, I'm sure this is the only apology I'll get, so I'm going to cherish it," Tora replied, smirking teasingly. He would admit though, he probably deserved to be chased out. Especially after his behavior during Jocelyn's trance, that was inexcusable, even for him. Boy she had looked pretty though, he couldn't well not do anything. "So you only apologized to me because Aidan made you?" he reiterated, putting a hand on his chest and feigning a hurt look. "And here I thought this was coming from the heart. You're so cruel..." After that it was all he could do not to start laughing, biting his lower lip with a cheeky grin as he looked away. Not like he had to be inside her home to watch over her anyways, staying outside worked just as well. Granted, sitting on a sofa or bed was much more pleasant than, say, a tree or rock, but he'd do what he had to. Looking up at the head of the class as Mr. Gervais began to give his lecture Tora took out a notebook and pen, idly scrawling down to pass off as being busy. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Jocelyn gradually falling asleep, a bit surprised as he figured she'd have slept plenty fine last night. Hm... Should he let her pass out or keep her awake? Might as well keep her up.

In a way Tora figured he was doing the princess a favor by keeping her awake, otherwise she would get in trouble. That sentiment didn't come across however as Jocelyn was annoyed with him, evidently not appreciating him prodding at her thigh to rouse her from her slumber. It was either that or the boob, he mused, smirking as he listened to her complain. "Wring my neck...? Is assault really worth a few minutes of sleep...? I think you have a problem Jocelyn." he teased, resting his head in his hand. At this point he scarcely paid any mind to the lesson at hand, and totally missed the dirty look the teacher gave him, too focused on Jocelyn. The accusation of molesting her however got a response out of him, blinking confused and looking up at the teacher, getting a nasty glare that time. Sighing softly he shook his head, placing his chin back in his hand as he looked at the princess out of the corner of his eye. "He's still pissed at you though. So... Hah," he retorted, a rather weak reply for him.

And the fun wasn't even over yet, Mr. Gervais still had a stick up his ass. Looking back to the front as they were singled out for chatting Tora hardly bothered to suppress the groan he made when they were handed a detention. He could play school all day, but once that final bell struck he had other things to do. Getting some stupid disciplinary action from a teacher didn't fall under that, yet unfortunately he had to go through with it. "Yes Mr. Gervais... Sorry..." he said lamely, smiling bitterly when the man turned back around. Maybe he'd leave a burning bag of feces on that man's doorstep before he left, just as a little thank you for the fun class. Glancing back to Jocelyn he smiled amused, reaching over and prodding her arm. "If I was the only one talking then I'd be the only one in trouble. But, I wasn't, was I? So don't blame me because you talked too." If she thought for a second he was going to play nice right now then she was going to be disappointed. He knew he ought to be kinder to the girl who was going to be in charge of him someday, but boy it was fun messing with her!

Mercifully the remainder of the school day had gone by in a flash, yet they were hardly out of the woods. Detention still loomed over their heads like a dark cloud and there was no getting out of it, so dutifully Tora marched along to Mr. Gervais' classroom. Already finding Jocelyn inside he let a smug smile cross his lips, hardly caring about the look the teacher was giving him as he walked over to sit beside the princess. "Don't look so glum, Jocelyn, we get to spend more time together!" Not a bad thing really, he could definitely watch over her now. Shame it had to be in a place as stuffy as this though, he would much prefer going to her house again. Heh, maybe she'd have another trance and he could sneak another peek, if he was lucky. Quickly changing his thoughts to less perverse ones Tora set his bag on the tabletop, taking out a textbook to look like he was studying. Holding it up he skimmed over the words, hardly taking them in as he did so. "So how were the rest of your classes? Miss me in them?"